Moving Forward
by onesceneship
Summary: Serena has contended with more on her way to becoming the reigning Kalos League Champion than the world will ever know. So when some kooky detective asks her for her help, she thinks—couldn't hurt, unaware that she's in for a whole new adventure. Meanwhile, Looker keeps correspondence with an old friend. Looker/Serena
1. Looker

Is there even a ship name for Looker/Serena? Whatever it is, I just had to try this after playing the post-game content in XY. Not my main ship by any means, but it's fun to write. The chapters get longer as we go on, because I was aiming for just 1,000 words per chapter to force myself to be concise until I decided screw it. For all the Emma fans, she doesn't appear until a few chapters in.

Also, Serena's 23 here. You can guess the others' (Shauna, Calem, etc.) ages from there, but Emma remains 16. No idea how old Looker's supposed to be, but let's keep him at around his mid-30's for the squeamish ones. As for the timeline, Serena and the others finally kicked Team Flare ass when she was 21, and she became Champion at 22. Not sure how long their initial adventure started, but definitely more than a year since this Serena had a few distractions to contend with.

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><p><em><strong>1 <strong>- Looker_

Once, before the Kalos League Champion had won her title and she was only another face in the crowd, someone had said to her, _Strolling around Lumiose's streets makes you feel like the heroine of a love story. Just being asked for directions can make you feel like meeting that person was destiny..._

The bright-eyed newcomer's heart had fluttered at the thought—_Romance, in Lumiose! How fitting!_

Now, wading through the crowds in the North Boulevard, the young woman thought, _Yeah, right_.

Serena was lost, and there was no denying it. Her destination today was Rouge Plaza, but everything here looked the same! For all the fashion rules she'd had to imbibe upon her first arrival to the city, colors would never be her strong suit. Not to mention asking for directions was out of the question—she was constantly asked to take pictures with courageous fans who ran off too quickly afterward, and the only clue they gave her if they didn't was that the neighborhood in Rouge Plaza was a place frequented by only the most snobbish and affluent Lumiosians.

Ugh. Serena dreaded finding the place, then. Though nowadays she jetted in and out of Lumiose City with her Braviary, Flamiche, just to make appearances or to endorse clothing lines totally impractical for anything but sitting around and waiting for challengers at the League, she didn't have the time to waltz around the city. Even in the stories the magazines published, the Champion had only ever visited the labyrinthine city during her adventure for three things—Clemont's badge, the Professor, and...Team Flare.

The only thing she'd found worth travelling for were the Galettes, though.

_And_, she guessed she had to add (besides her father's cooking), the free croque-monsieur the folks at Café Triste insisted on giving her whenever she dropped by, like right now. Once the café was out of sight, she handed it to the Meowstic in her arms. Accepting her favorite sandwich, Cece munched in what appeared to be deep thought.

There was no pressuring her—reading minds made the Pokemon very hungry. So, while waiting, Serena had resorted to eyeing the multi-colored rock embedded in silver around her thumb. It matched the Key Stone on her bracelet.

A minute later, the Meowstic let out a small burp. Serena eyed her now properly-fed Psychic. "Anything specific yet?"

Cece paused, scanning the area, and gave her a visual from the mind of a cab driver on his lunch break. Serena still didn't get the directions, but Cece had always been their navigator and nodded.

"Finally!" she laughed, ducking into a smaller plaza before anyone else could notice. Not that she didn't appreciate the attention while walking around, either—it was why she didn't hire a taxi, instead. But her stomach was growling unhappily now, so it was time to pick up the pace. "Lead the way, Cece."

There was also the fact that her purpose here wasn't one that demanded something so easy as a car ride. She'd been sitting quietly back in Vaniville with her parents, watching Fran and Baltic, her Greninja and Seismitoad, care for Fran's newly lain eggs when this ridiculous Holo Caster message arrived. _I only need a moment. Or perhaps three_, said a gruff voice without a face. _There is something I really need to talk about with you. Please come to the Looker Bureau. The building is close to Rouge Plaza. I can't say any more right now. I will expect to see you soon_.

A little demanding for her liking, not to mention Mom said it sounded like just another fan (she would know) and Dad said it sounded dangerous (and he wouldn't, really), but the guy didn't sound like a man hell-bent on cleansing the world or giving her immortality, and that about covered all her limitations for new acquaintances. Besides, she could hold her own.

The locals had been right. This was the snooty side of the city. If she hadn't been the Champion, they'd turn their noses up at her denim shorts and black leggings. Some of them still did.

Which was all well and good—they made it that much easier to find the building. It was right across this fine dining place that sometimes hired Dad. It cost at least five figures a head, a price she could now afford what with all the Champion-related things that kept her busy, but she wasn't dumb enough to spend that much money on a dish her father could make at home. And her money was exactly the reason he'd allowed himself to find work closer to Vaniville.

The Looker Bureau distinguished itself with a dingy sign. Dingy not in that it was old and shabby, but for how simple it looked compared to the probably gilded ones in this general area. Again, not a bad thing. Serena entered with high hopes.

"It was good of you to come," said the gruff voice as soon as she entered.

Standing by the window, a man in a trench coat and a suit underneath turned around, brows knotted and hair straight, and approached. He looked like a cop.

"Yes," he said, as if to answer the question that was coming. "I need thirty seconds of your time. Or—three minutes only. Thirty minutes, maybe."

He definitely didn't belong in this city—her hair stylist would have said that his hair was long overdue for a trim—but at the same time, he kind of did.

His (code) name was "Looker." (Cece had heard him slip, stopping short of reading his mind.) The man was maybe a decade older than her, but she had to say—the name fit. Tall, broad shoulders, firm jaw, nice eyes...

Looker went on rambling. That easily broke the magic. Whoever said girls talked too much hadn't met _all_ the men in her life. He mentioned having investigated her, which was all information he could have taken from anyone who owned a TV. Serena thought she'd heard enough speeches to last her forever and was about to make an excuse to leave, until...

He wanted her help with the detective agency he'd just opened, saying, _even a heart that embraces the loneliness—_his, she guessed he meant—_can sometimes stumble, falter, doubt_. Serena knew that, sometimes, whenever she realized two years had already passed. So she listened.

Until he called her a _rookie_ when it came to that line of work. _Her_?

"What does your heart say, Serena?" he had the gall to ask, extending his hand to her. "Will you partner with me and fight crime?"

Was this guy for real?

_Fight crime_. _Bring peace to Lumiose City. _She hadn't thought in those terms in two years. It sounded...not so bad, actually. Couldn't hurt.

So, against Cece's better judgment, Serena shrugged and accepted his handshake. "All right."

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><p>I'd have added more of the game dialogue, but it would probably have just been Serena snarking at Looker's dialogue in her head.<p> 


	2. LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY Entry 1

These'll come in and out of the story (when it's convenient, heh). Sometimes Looker's POV will mix with Serena's and it'll be sufficient, and sometimes it won't be, so here.

Ugh, **can't use strikethroughs on this site, _what_? Strikethroughs/Looker crossing out words will be underlined and placed in a parenthesis. -_-**

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><p><strong>LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY<strong>

The XXth day of the XXth month

_Partner,_

_She agreed! I did not think she would so quickly agree to what may have been an odd proposition from a stranger, but the Kalos League Champion has chosen to aid me in my mission to find a man known as Xerosic, former right hand of the region's very own madman: Lysandre. _

_She is not aware that such a mission exists, though I may have let slip that Looker is not quite my true name—but otherwise, she believes I am a simple detective. It is better this way. Such a busy young woman has enough to think about. _

_I know what you would say—that I should have approached other members of the Kalos Five, but it is more difficult than it seems, partner! The eldest of them has departed the region to train his Pokemon, while the two youngest are in the employ of the region's renowned Professor Sycamore. Neither seems inclined to detective work or battle, with one preferring to dance and the other, to roam the land seeking to find all of the region's Pokemon. The last of them, the only other female of the group, left first. Her current whereabouts are unknown to me. _

_It matters little. I was able to carry out your old idea of planting glittered Looker Bureau tickets across the city in order to test her potential, and she has much of it, partner! Though I admit I have never been gifted in the area of arts and crafts, so the glitter may have caused her some discomfort. She was somewhat upset by such a turn of events, but I reminded her that scars are an honor in the line of duty. You would agree. Of course, she is a rookie. Such a statement only served to further (infuriate) upset her, so I promptly showed her to her room above the Bureau and now she is resting._

_Unfortunately, her Meowstic named 'Cece' has chosen to stay within the office, roaming quietly and watching me every so often as I write to you now. I must admit that it—she—unnerves me. I begin to wonder if the Champion did not send her down here in order to punish me with such a soulless gaze instead._

_I am trying to avoid her eyes. But enough about that. You must wonder about the Champion herself. She is as I expected. Willing to fight crime and invest time and effort into learning to be a detective! She must be accustomed to hard work as a trainer. The experience will be helpful in learning the skills needed for a more difficult trade such as ours! Also very personable, though maybe _too_ familiar. Then again, her file stated that her parents raised her and an adoptive son in Unova prior to her father Victor's transfer to Kalos. It must be that._

_It is almost dinner time. I must purchase food for our new allies. Maybe this will appease the Meowstic. I shall write more soon._

_By the way, the Champion's name is Serena. I wonder if you would have gotten along. _

_(__You are sorely missed.__)__ Your assistance would be a great aid at this time._

_Looker_


	3. You look familiar

Aha! Found it. _Detectiveduoshipping_.

Also, I imagine Drasna to be a sweet but commanding lady who always gets her way. As for Wikstrom and Diantha, I saw a photo of the former defending the latter as a child (not sure if fanart or actual), but I've shipped them since then. My headcanon is that Wikstrom's fancy eccentricities is exactly what Diantha loves about him, and that he was a sort of constant even when her career soared. He was gallantly (obviously) supportive of her during that time and even when she became Champion.

Er, not that you should care. Read on!

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><p><strong><em>2<em> **_- __You look familiar_

A horrible eye rash and three mornings later, Serena had to fly back to the League for their monthly 'meeting.' She would have completely forgotten about it if Siebold hadn't sent her a message reminding her that Drasna had put a lot of effort into scheduling it, and being the only one "without a real job," there would be no excuse for her to forget.

She had made it, barely, halfway through their first event of the day: battles with random conditions. Lunch would follow, and after, other bonding activities Drasna had planned, but Siebold had just lost to Wikstrom when she arrived. The Steel-type Master happily took his seat next to Diantha—she had been Champion for so long that it was only natural to invite her—while their resident chef muttered something about a white knight's insufferable preening.

Malva was next in line to battle, and Serena was thrown into the ring with her for being late. The latter chose Gyarados, naturally, since Fran and Baltic were at home, while the former chose her female Pyroar.

"Excellent choice, Serena!" Siebold called from the stands.

Malva shot him a look through her tinted glasses before turning to glare at the Champion. Serena was surprised the Fire-type Master had come—since their first meeting, Malva had neither liked her, for some reason, nor the Gyarados. The first time they fought, she'd even looked upon the Pokemon with fear—now she just looked annoyed. In addition to that, the woman always told Drasna that she was too busy with Holo Caster business or training elsewhere to attend, though Diantha had told Serena that this was the case even before the title of Champion had been passed on.

"Your Pyroar is always so beautiful, Malva!" Drasna cheered supportively. She did this, always, to even out their 'morale.'

"This battle's condition," Wikstrom read from a slip of paper he'd picked from a jar, "is that Same-Type Attacks, save for Normal types, are not permitted."

Serena panicked for a moment before taking two deep breaths and telling herself it was no problem. Gyarados understood as much, glancing back at her with complete trust.

"Pyroar—"

"Gyarados—"

And then someone's Holo Caster rang.

Drasna sighed in disappointment. "Oh, dear. I thought we had all agreed not to take calls during meetings..."

Everyone else turned accusatorily at each other, until Diantha raised a blue Holo Caster. "Serena," she said, "it's yours. It doesn't say who it is..."

"Sorry, Drasna," Serena said twice as their former Champion placed the device on the Arena receiver, allowing the caller to have a complete view of all the League's Elite members.

The hologram of a man in a brown trench coat and a matching suit sprang to life before them. He appeared to be sitting at his desk. "Hello, Serena!"

"Ooh," Drasna said, lips upturning to smile instead, "who is this handsome young man?"

"I believe he's old, compared to her," said Siebold.

"Regardless, this is highly unprofessional, Champion," Wikstrom called out.

"For once, I agree with Wikstrom," said Malva, prompting the man in question to huff.

Serena tried to ignore them. "Looker," she said, "I'm kind of in the middle of something. Can this wait?"

Looker was taking something out from one of his desk drawers as he spoke and didn't quite notice the others. "Serena, I need thirty seconds of your time. Or—three minutes only. Thirty minutes, maybe."

Malva groaned. Siebold said, "Serena, if you plan to allow this, I shall start preparing lunch."

"No, wait—"

"Ah, good morning!" said Looker, finally seeing the rest of her current companions. "So sorry to intrude. Why...you are the Elite Four of Kalos, yes?"

"Who _is _this man?" Malva complained.

The detective peered at her not with irritation, but with suspicious familiarity. "Have we—met?"

"I don't think so," said the Fire-Type Master, eyeing her nails in boredom. "Naturally, you would know _of_ me. I'm a Holo Caster star."

"Hmm, it is not that..."

Serena waved her arms wildly to catch his attention. She'd _told_ him why she had to leave Lumiose today and four hours later, of course, he was calling her already. "Everyone, this is Looker—a colleague in Lumiose." When the rest gave polite greetings, she continued. "Anyway, we're training. What is it?"

"I'll make it quick," Looker promised. "What do you know of Team Flare?"

The question took her aback. As soon as he said their name, Serena felt Diantha's eyes burning into her side, and she worked to ignore it. "Team Flare...? Why? Do we have a new, related case?"

"No...but their plans created large-scale panic in Kalos, did they not? And from what I've seen—er, heard, of criminal organizations, there are always a few members who remain to continue the legacy."

"Oh. The thing is, they _all _remain. So to speak. Only...only their Boss died two years ago. I'm sure you heard of it—their plan in Geosenge failed, so he, you know, went down...with that...ship." She gave a nonchalant shrug as an afterthought to her statement.

"I see. And the Team's officers?"

Malva sighed, again. "Some scientists and peons were caught, and some weren't."

"Is that what happened?" asked Drasna. "Weren't _most _of them rounded up, dear?"

"Yes, I believe the _Kalos Five_, as they are called, were able to identify the Team Flare members with whom they battled," Diantha replied.

"An easy task, to be certain," laughed Siebold. "That ridiculous red motif was hardly difficult to spot!"

"No," Serena couldn't help but make a face at him—force of habit. "The peons, maybe, but the scientists weren't dumb enough to all stay in their uniforms. Our Pokemon recognized theirs when we met them not long after."

Wikstrom nodded. "'Tis no wonder. Your brethren and their Pokemon, Champion, would certainly know the _filth _against whom you rallied so bravely!"

Malva groaned. "Honestly, all of you! We're conducting important League business. Is it at all possible for you to continue this later?"

"But is it not in the League's best interest that all of Team Flare be punished for the destruction it attempted and caused?" asked Looker.

"I won't deny that my curiosity has been piqued," said Siebold. "And the man has a point." The others murmured in agreement, though Wikstrom said something about vanquishing evil Serena didn't quite catch—she was too busy watching Malva redden in embarrassment.

"Nevertheless, I suppose I can discuss this with you upon your return to the Bureau," said Looker. "I was simply…waiting for cases, and…it just came to mind. Yes. I apologize."

"Handsome and polite! It was no trouble, Mr. Looker," said Drasna. "It was lovely to meet our dear Champion's friend!"

Looker nodded, glancing at Malva one last time, but shook his head as if to dismiss whatever thought he had. "Serena, you will tell me when you plan to return, yes?"

"I will," she smiled, oddly pleased at Malva's irritation. She'd never expected that Looker of all people could make the woman lose her temper. She always seemed so professionally cold, when she wasn't dishing out scalding remarks. She looked upon his hologram with newfound respect. "Call me when we get a case?"

"I will. It was an honor to meet you all. Goodbye!"

The others waved politely when the call ended, while Siebold turned to Serena. "What cases? And please—define _colleague from Lumiose_ for all of us present."

"My, uh...partner in a private detective bureau there." _Which really just opened a few days ago_, but she didn't say that.

Wikstrom blinked. "That is your chosen activity in your spare time, Serena?"

"What do you expect of one of the Kalos Five?" Malva sneered.

"I think it's a noble cause," smiled Drasna. Diantha nodded in agreement. "As long as Serena is able to fulfill her duties as a Champion as well, there should be no problem."

"Except: does your father know about this?" asked Siebold.

Serena tried not to sigh. "Of course he does—"

"Are we training here," Malva reminded them, "or should we skip lunch and move to dinner, Siebold? We've wasted enough time talking about _old _news. The Arena is hardly the place for family matters, either."

Siebold shot her a dirty look in response and ignored her. Only Drasna attempted to calm them down. "Now, now," she said, then motioned to Wikstrom, who declared the resumption of the battle—and reminded them of their battle's condition.

"Let's do this," the Fire-type Master grinned, raring for a rematch.

Serena nodded. "Gyarados—Hyper Beam!"

Malva groaned.


	4. LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY Entry 2

Ugh, **can't use strikethroughs on this site**. **Strikethroughs/Looker crossing out words will be underlined and placed in a parenthesis. -_-**

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><p><strong>LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY<strong>

The XXth day of the XXth month

_Partner,_

_Not much has occurred over the past two weeks. After her recovery, the Champion left for the Kalos League's headquarters in order to spend a day with the rest of its Elites. Hardly detective training, but I understand that it is her duty. Do you remember Diantha, the former Champion? She was there as well. You've always loved her movies, though I myself profess to falling asleep watching them. I know she was there because they have a particularly large Holo Caster which allowed me to view their entire arena. It is majestic, and you would have marvelled at the sight._

_I called Serena because I had resolved to search for Xerosic while she was gone, but I realized soon after that I had no clue as to his whereabouts. I forgot. Because of her eye problem, of course. The League's Elite seem not to know much regarding any Team Flare activity, and the Champion could not give me information I did not already possess. She was distracted by her battle, which I suppose is a good thing, as she was insistent in prodding me with questions regarding my true identity. It is better that she forgets that I asked._

_Due to such developments, I have found nothing so far on Xerosic's location. Serena has since come and gone. Her Braviary _Flamiche_ is a friendly creature, not unlike his trainer, but the Meowstic continues to unnerve me, even though most females of her kind look this way. _

_Still, I cannot help but think that I have offended her. I attempted to feed her the other day and she swatted away my hand. Serena insists that she is simply prideful and will accept treats from nobody but her._

_As for Serena, her training continues. We have been approached for several cases already, but many of them have been...straightforward. Elementary, you might say. The Champion's affability and fame are quite handy, also, though I see signs of...something I don't have the word for at the moment. She does not show prolonged anger when displeased—flashes, yes, a rant here or there when something goes wrong, but for the most part she remains pleasant but uncharacteristically reserved._

_And something amusing for you, my friend—she is of the habit of reading my diary. Not this one, but the diary with bare notes regarding the case. She believes I do not know, but she is still very poor at investigations. I must teach her this soon._

_For now, I must go. There appears to have been a burglary at a home near Jaune Plaza, though the owners do not appear to want the authorities to discover it. From what I saw of their interactions with one another in the Holo Caster, it is because they are lovers. You would have found this entertaining. Alas, for me it is part of keeping my cover. I am eager to capture Xerosic soon. Lumiose is beautiful and Kalosian, a much easier language to understand than Unovan, but I have no ties here. _

_I shall write more soon._

_(You are sorely missed.)__ Your assistance would be a great aid at this time._

_Looker_

_P.S. Remind me to research one of the Kalos League members—the woman with pink hair. Her smirk was too familiar to be coincidence._


	5. Suggestions

Looker seems like the type to give unsolicited advice like this. Not that Serena knows much better, either.

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><p><strong><em>3<em>**_ – Suggestions_

Looker got a lot of silly requests over the next two weeks following the Bureau's not-so-grand opening and her return from the League: most involved errands, searching for missing Pokeballs found under the couch, and maybe one or two _real _cases—and discovering whether a gentleman or a madame's younger wife or husband was in search of greener pastures was as real as these things could get.

Flying to Lumiose had become a fun pastime for the Champion instead of a chore since Serena learned that Looker's odd declarations regarding detective work meant no insult—they were all part of his _charming_ personality. Or maybe it was that his excitable nature when it came to cases reminded her of Shauna; his smart-alecking, of Calem. The useful information he did know—quite a lot more than she did, to her cocky surprise—brought Tierno and Trevor to mind, but those two, like her, had never strayed from Kalos.

That evening, she arrived right as Looker completed another lost-and-found mission. Serena picked him up from the home of their grateful clients for dinner, and Cece joined them on the walk back to the Bureau.

He seemed glum. She wondered what he was looking for—a new Team Flare, maybe, to challenge his 'detective and espionage skills'? But that was unlikely. Never would she, Diantha or the Professor ever again allow an extremist with a psychotic world vision to slip past their notice.

"Cheer up," she said, patting an arm as they passed a Galette stand. Making a quick, discounted purchase, she handed one to him and two to Cece. "Real cases will come in soon. If not, isn't that a good thing?"

"I believe it's your..."

Serena shot him a curious glance. "My what?"

Looker gestured at her as though he didn't know what to make of her. "Your manner of dress. I believe a wardrobe change is in order."

Her gaze fell to her clothes—stylishly sporty, her favorite. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

He hesitated, first, then moved closer to whisper. "They don't look like detective clothes. You look like—the Kalos Champion!"

Cece usually did it for them both, but even Serena gave him a look for that. "I _am_ the Champion," she deadpanned.

"I don't mean that," he said dismissively. "Nobody will approach us with...you dressed this way. People trust people of authority. Not just fellow trainers..."

Serena didn't think so. People tended to open up to her, scrambling to say things in awe of her title, but she knew that just as many disagreed and criticized her way of doing things—her style, her official team make-up...

"Looker, no matter what I wear, people _will _recognize me as the Champion. I've only held the title for about a year. They're still waiting for Diantha to 'retake the throne.' You knew that coming to me." Then, she gestured at him in turn. "_You_, on the other hand..."

Looker glanced at his own clothes. "Is there a problem with my wardrobe? I look just as a detective should! In fact, you should follow my example..."

"That's just it!" Serena said. "That's fine for customers, but when it comes to real investigations, who do you think witnesses will talk to?"

"Me, of course," the detective answered. "I have the look of someone with authority."

Serena sighed. "No, _me_. People don't always come running to the police when they witness bad things. Sometimes they just need someone to confide in. They don't need their fear of arrest or detention forcing the information out of them. You gotta get it out of them through _naturally-flowing conversation_."

Looker seemed very doubtful of that.

"Cece can break the tie, then," grumbled Serena. "Cece?"

Pausing from eating her Galettes, the Psychic-type glanced between them before her stony gaze settled on the older of the two. The look told him that he was wrong, and he had better accept it before she decided she was no longer a happy Pokemon. Serena pumped a victorious fist before shrugging helplessly at the detective. "The Meowstic knows."

"She is your partner," Looker shook his head in denial, eyes avoiding the Meowstic's. "It – It's only natural that she took your side!"

"Cece's better than that," the trainer insisted, turning the corner into Rouge. It was empty this time of night, since the Sushi High Roller patrons used an entrance facing away from the building. "Oh, just come here."

Serena stood before him in a flash, grabbing the lapels of his coat and pulling them forward to remove it. Looker gasped, but she was more muscular than he'd expected, and he couldn't kick her for fear of hurting her. Cece had made that very clear in his mind as soon as he began to struggle.

"Looker, stop!" she grunted, moving against his suit in an attempt to reach to pull off the coat. Finally, she groped for its hem and tore it off completely. "Ha!" she said, transferring it to the other hand behind Looker. "I've—"

"Ms. Serena," he murmured. He only called her that when he found something particularly disturbing.

"What?" she asked. Only then did she notice that her face was pressed against his chest, arms laced around his waist in her violent attempt to prove a point. "Oh."

Serena straightened up at once, smoothing down the man's suit in embarrassment, ignorant of his slight flush. Still, she held on to the trench coat and exchanged a critical look with Cece. "I just, uh, can't believe you're still wearing this stuffy suit. And it's _summer_."

"I – I have rather thin skin—"

"We're going shopping. You made me look for those tickets of yours to teach me your skills," she reminded him. "Now I'm going to show you how I gathered information on Team Flare back then."

"Ms. Serena," he frowned in concern. "Bureau funds are not meant for mundane things such as _clothing_. Especially when mine are adequate. Unlike yours," he added.

They stared at one another for a moment, each unwilling to yield to the other, until Serena could no longer hold her breath.

"...I disagree. Looker—I had an eye rash for two days because the wind picked up and your ticket glitter wasn't glued well enough. I swear _this _will be painless in comparison." With that, Serena snatched him by the wrist and followed Cece to the nearest boutique.

Looker protested, but followed. More than the Champion's vice-like grip, her Meowstic had shot him an unnerving look before moving forward.


	6. LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY Entry 3

Looker, always easily sidetracked.

Ugh, **can't use strikethroughs on this site**. **Strikethroughs/Looker crossing out words will be underlined and placed in a parenthesis. -_-**

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><p><strong>LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY<strong>

The XXth day of the XXth month

_Partner,_

_Serena and Cece are more persistent than I first believed, with their roles perhaps switched: Cece persuades with the mind while Serena makes for a convincing brute! Such trust in one another is vital in the partnership they share, but it is disadvantageous to me when they band together and insist on taking me 'shopping.'_

_Imagine. It all began when I gave her advice regarding her clothing, and she somehow turned the tables on me, saying it was I who needed new clothes! I tried to repay her, but she forbade it, and Cece brooked no argument. (I can tell now with those eyes and stand by my opinion on them.)_

_It was rather embarrassing for a great detective such as myself to follow a woman ten years my junior around on what she called a 'much-needed shopping spree courtesy of yours truly' (a lie, of course, for you would agree that my clothes are completely appropriate for our line of work), but I admit that it was not as boring as I imagined. _

_Because of her poor detective skills, I had thought that Serena might only be good for battle. I suppose I was mistaken. She is passionate about styles, attempting to teach me about colors and pieces and all manner of things irrelevant to the Bureau, though she insists otherwise. I begin to wonder what other odd hobbies the Kalos Champion may enjoy, but there is no time to dwell on it. She should instead practice her espionage._

_There continues to be little progress on my research on Team Flare save that a cafe owned by its eponymous late leader was the location of one of its labs. I hurried and left to investigate while Serena and her Glaceon left for their morning jog, but found only an abandoned lair—typical. Truly. I returned in time to avoid Serena's suspicious questions—she is very easily distracted by food, something I must correct in the case that someone attempts to exploit such a weakness in the future. That is if I ever find this Xerosic. Does he even remain in the region?_

_I know, you mean for me not to lose hope. We are, after all, crime-fighting elite._

_I am also late for a meeting with our newest client. I sent Serena ahead to discover the facts and practice her skill, but I must follow suit. I shall write more soon._

_(You are sorely missed.)__ Your assistance would be a great aid at this time._

_Looker_


	7. A Very Important Photo

Can't blame Serena. When you're the main character, you look through everything – even all the trash cans. In the old days of Pokemon games, anyway. Nowadays you kinda just do it out of habit.

* * *

><p><em><strong>4 <strong>_– _A Very Important Photo_

Looker had furnished a room for each of them above the Bureau, and Serena was grateful for it. She never thought she'd miss sleeping in the Center's sunken beds, but after becoming Champion, roughing it outside hadn't seemed quite as important as keeping up appearances anymore, especially since those in the League building were provided with superb facilities away from prying eyes. The backache was pleasantly familiar.

Still, the mattresses Looker ordered were comfortable enough. Besides, even boutique hotels were expensive in Lumiose. It was nice to have a place to stay without being required by a sponsor to endorse something in return.

A week after their spontaneous shopping trip, Looker's new clothes were still tagged, zipped away in his portable closet. Serena laughed at how he probably didn't know that she knew. But she'd always been nosy; just less obvious about it than Shauna. Cece never read minds unless required to in battle—searching a mind took greater effort than projecting her own ideas onto another— but whatever one didn't keep on their person was fair game for them. It was why she didn't keep diaries.

Not that Looker's Most Secret Diary was fun to read. Really, it was filled with entries more concerned with cases than himself.

They'd just finished their latest case that morning—a boy's shorts were all missing, but apparently his mother had sent them to the laundry before leaving for work to encourage him to try wearing jeans—and Serena was feeling restless. She'd just arrived from League business again the day before, and unless she had to, she didn't want to leave so soon. Cece had grown so tired of travelling by bird and directing Flamiche that she was still asleep. So the Champion resorted to attempting subterfuge while poking around the office.

Writing in his boring old journal, Looker eyed her from his desk. "Serena, what are you doing?"

She froze, but feigned innocence with her hands clasped together. "...Practicing my detective skills. You don't have a lot of personal effects here."

"Neither do you."

"My things are still at my parents' house," she reasoned, left thumb tapping the silver ring on her right. It was oddly large, even for that finger. "Anyway, I am as you see me."

His perpetually creased brows lifted in amusement. "A very nosy young woman?"

"Detective," she corrected him, turning around with a purposely irritating smile. "I don't see a problem with us getting to know each other. At least _you _know my real name."

Looker seemed prepared to retort, but his mirth waned when he saw her next object of interest. "Ah, Ms. Serena—"

She'd never thought of looking into his trench coat. With the exception of last week, he always wore it. This moment was rarer than a shiny Yveltal!

"Ms. Serena, please don't—"

The trench coat was draped over the couch near the door. Searching it quickly, she found a picture of a younger Looker—only a little older than her, then—and a giddy-looking Croagunk.

"Who's this?" she asked, flipping over the undated photo as she approached him. Serena didn't notice the detective's gulp. "Your Pokemon?"

"My partner," was his quiet reply.

"He's adorable." Serena couldn't take her eyes from the photo. The Croagunk aside, Looker had been handsome. He still was, but once or twice now, past all the quirks and the general formality, she had seen something distant in his gaze. He was plain carefree in this picture.

"Anyway," she cleared her throat, "I love frog Pokemon! I actually had the idea to specialize in them when I became the Champion, but it's hard. Not training them, which is fun—I mean redecorating the Champion's arena to fit. The Elite Four enjoy that stuff. Diantha offered to help me at it, but I don't know. I'm just no good at..."

It dawned on Serena that she was rambling when she started saying 'stuff,' and glanced back at Looker. He only politely nodded, and that was when she knew something was wrong. Usually when she told him about being Champion, he would counter it with something related to being a detective. And somehow, it was only now that her stupid echoic memory registered his calling her _Ms. Serena_.

Suddenly, she wished Baltic were here so he could use Earthquake and the ground would swallow her up. That was better than realizing that she'd been Champion for so long that despite how she insisted on being a good listener—talking big about how witnesses would want to pour themselves out to her in a 'real' case—she didn't really pay attention to anyone else anymore. As the League publicists said, all she had to do besides battle was _Smile. Laugh. Make jokes._

"So," she said, returning to the photo. "...Is he back home? Holding down the fort while you're off fighting crime here?"

"No," he said, without the usual pomp with which he delivered answers regarding his line of work. "A detective would...never leave behind his partner."

Serena knew _that_. She knew because he mentioned it after she'd 'officially' become his partner, and yet he still liked to send her ahead on unimportant cases along with going on his own when she wasn't around.

But she also knew his tone. In spite of all the man had done, Professor Sycamore had this look in his eye—while the Champion was completely unaffected, of course—whenever he talked about...

_Lysandre_.

Two Earthquakes. In one day. That was what she wanted.

"I'm so sorry," Serena stammered. "I didn't realize—"

"It's all right, Ms. Serena," Looker said, palm stiffly opened. "The photo, please."

Serena gave it up as though scalded, prepared to make all the apologies in the world, when her Holo Caster's shrill cry cut through the brief pause.

"Some of Fran's eggs are starting to hatch!" cried her father's hologram. "Hurry back, my éclair!"

"Dad—"

Her father disappeared, but she could hear him responding to her mother's excited yelling and shut the call herself. When she turned to Looker, he was smiling again.

"Go on. We have no cases at the moment."

For the first time in a year or so, Serena struggled to find the words. And when she did, she didn't sound like the Champion. "Looker, do you—want to come? Meet my other Pokemon, I mean? Fran was my second, you know, after Flamiche. Then Cece."

"I should remain," he shook his head. "In case more citizens in need arrive."

"...Okay," she nodded, and repeated it like an idiot. "Okay. I'll see you later, then."


	8. LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY Entry 4

:(

**Cannot use strikethroughs on this site**. **Strikethroughs/Looker crossing out words will be underlined and placed in a parenthesis. -_-**

* * *

><p><strong>LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY<strong>

The XXth day of the XXth month

_Partner,_

_The Champion knows of you._

_It was an accident, of course. She found our photo in my trench coat, which I admit I had left carelessly near the door. But I did not expect her to so blatantly search it before me. _

_I admit I was unsure of what to do. I call her my partner, yet I cannot trust her with my name or my true mission. It was by my mistake—being overcome with emotion—that I informed her of your identity. She left before I could say anything else._

_Would I have confronted her? Perhaps. She had no right to do such a thing, and I have been patient with her intrusiveness until now. _

_I have found nothing on Xerosic—my true intention here in Lumiose—so there is no need to request her aid until she returns of her own volition. _

_I knew it before, but this has confirmed it. You are the only partner I have ever required._

_(You are sorely missed.)__ Your assistance would be a great aid at this time._

_Looker_


	9. Not my boyfriend

**_5_** – _Not my Boyfriend_

The Braviary slowed its descent with a glide, tilting every so often until it stopped at a clearing where they could hear a slow river to the right. Serena hopped off Flamiche, petting the bird's wings as she took in the sight of home. "Thanks, Flamiche. We're back! And we did it without Cece!"

The bird smiled, chest puffed as he squawked proudly. With her permission, he flew off ahead of her. Serena brought out the rest of her Pokeballs, and those who emerged were Cece, her Venusaur Fleur, her Glaceon Boreas, and four more: a Pyroar, a Gyarados, a Honchkrow, and a Mienshao. They glanced back at her when they were all finished stretching and enjoying the familiar environment

"Go on," she waved, and they bolted away—save for Cece, who approached her with a paw outstretched. The trainer accepted it, and both disappeared from the clearing in a blink.

"Froakie!"

"Froakie!"

"Froakie!"

Before Serena could even see, two Froakie had already jumped into her arms; one found its way to her face, chirping incessantly as though it believed she could understand it. She heard her Meowstic mutter darkly next to her.

"Fran, Baltic, they're beautiful!" Serena couldn't help but laugh, removing the Froakie from her face and approaching the parents, sitting by the bank. "Girls? Boys?"

Her Greninja motioned proudly to herself, though the Seismitoad next to her looked overjoyed nonetheless to see that their daughters had taken so quickly to their Trainer. "Great! You're going to have so much more to deal with when they're older, Baltic! Ha ha!"

"Yes, imagine if they were anything like you."

Serena turned around, having barely noticed the humans nearby. So that was why she'd noticed _two_ Gyarados from the corner of her eye earlier. "Siebold! _You _got here before I did?"

The blond shrugged. "I _do_ have a better instinct for Water Pokemon than you do, Champion or not."

Serena made a nasty face at him even if it was true. "Yeah, well—"

"Serena, honey! Welcome back!"

Not far from them were her parents, Grace and Victor, who sat with her mother's Rhyhorn between them. Serena went and kissed them, glad to be home after half a month, but chose to sit near the rest of the eggs that hadn't hatched yet along with some Froakie who had elected to stay with her. Fran and Baltic played with a majority of the rest down the stream with the other Pokemon. Fleur in particular allowed most of them to sit on her back. Of the older Pokemon, only Cece and Boreas remained, sitting with her parents and the family Rhyhorn—they knew Grace and Victor had the Pokemon treats and intended to have them for themselves.

Serena absentmindedly played with the young Froakie. Her first Pokemon had been Flamiche, then a Rufflet, a bird the family Fletchling, now a Talonflame, had brought home in Unova one day and who had taken a shine to the ten year-old rolling around in the mud while the fifteen year old tasked with caring for her looked on with a sigh. Next had been Froakie, from the Professor, and third was Espurr. They were all together for the longest time before anyone else had joined their team, and while they had all been intelligent—Flamiche raring to battle, Fran, their bravest and most watchful, and Cece always willing to put in the hours to train—it was easy for Serena to recall how to keep them occupied without too much work.

She was chuckling at a Froakie who had begun to show off with inflating the bubbles on her neck, making the rest jealous, when next to her, Siebold finally spoke. "What bothers you, Serena?"

Siebold was technically a family friend. Both their fathers were world-renowned Chefs, only his had a particular wanderlust he shared with his wife while hers chose to stay in the mainland where his child wouldn't have to learn the pain of being the _new kid_ all the time. Eventually, Siebold was sent to Unova to live with Victor and Grace, where Victor found happiness in raising the boy in his ways and his father's.

Serena had taken more after her mother, preferring functionality to the art of cooking, as well as playing rough with other Pokemon and children outside their home. To this end, Siebold had taken to calling the young girl his brother—and she called him her sister, in turn.

Which was why exactly she answered, "Nothing."

Siebold gently poked the nose of the Froakie sitting on his knees, prompting it to sneeze and learn to stick its tongue out and eventually stop him. His eyes were on the Pokemon as he asked, "Is it your boyfriend?"

Serena turned to glare at him. "Looker's not my boyfriend."

"Ah, so it _is_ the boyfriend."

She had learned long ago that to react negatively to him was to ask for even more teasing—but it was difficult not to. "I said he _isn't _my boyfriend, Siebold. He's my detective partner."

"Then why do you look as though he's broken your heart?"

"It's not like that. I think...I broke _his_."

Siebold couldn't help bursting into laughter at that. "The Champion's vanity rears its ugly head!"

"It's not _that_, either. I was snooping around, kinda going through his room..."

"And you're certain you're _not _attracted to the man?"

She flicked a finger at his nose, causing him to yelp. Not that Looker wasn't handsome—it was just that Serena no longer thought herself the type for infatuation. That was a luxury meant for those who led, arrogant as it was to say, less grand lives. The Champion had no time for such a thing—else her title would no longer fit. Diantha and Siebold were exceptions, since their own partners were League members as well. "I'm…I'm not. I saw a photo in his trench coat of a Croagunk and poked, you know, prodded... I mean, it always works with people. It even worked on you."

Siebold was chagrined to admit it, but her engaging attitude as a child, even to those who clearly showed no desire to know her as he had, had worn down the chef—then a haughty teenager. "I know. Then what broke his heart? You _adore_ Frog Pokemon."

"I just kept saying so many things...rattling on...I didn't even realize why the Croagunk wasn't with him or why he was hiding the photo in his coat. Looker has this weird obsession with being a great detective, just like you are with being an artist chef—"

"Those two are hardly similar—"

"He always talks about how partners work, like how partners never leave each other behind. Well, the Croagunk was his partner. Except I didn't know that he, well, _was_."

Siebold turned from the Froakie with a grim look. "The Croagunk...he passed before you met?"

Serena nodded.

"...Well, as we once said in Unova, you _are_ in quite a pickle."

"Siebold! How does that help?"

He sighed. "Have you apologized?"

"I tried before I left—but then Dad called. As in, today."

"Give him time," said Siebold. "Viola requires time to...ah, simmer, whenever we quarrel. Even you, _my_ _only brother_, took years to forgive me."

"That's because you, _my only sister_, left us for Kalos!"

"To study what Uncle and I'd always dreamt for me. And you're happy here, now, aren't you?"

Serena paused, then huffed, "Fine." There was really no winning with Siebold when it came to words—this was usually the time she would tackle and defeat him, but acting a little more professional with him in front of the rest of the League had begun to rub off on her. Or maybe it was that he really made sense this time. "So... I just...wait it out."

"Yes. And then apologize, of course. And _stop _going through his things, Serena." Then he teased, "Goodness, Serena, you're twenty-three. Have you never been courted in my absence? Never had a boyfriend?"

"Of course I've had a boyfriend!" she growled. "But I—I mean...I mean I never...had one." She chuckled nervously. "_When_ would I have had the time between gunning for the Championship and saving the world?"

Siebold stared at her in wonder. "You've..." He looked around, unsure of what to say. The Froakie he held had already leapt off toward Serena's parents. "Why is this the first I have heard of this, Serena? You've had a _boyfriend_?"

Victor sat up in the lounge chair they had carried close to the river. "My éclair has _what_?"

Before Grace could speak, Serena set down the two Froakie in her arms and declared, "No! I, uh, was only contradicting Siebold because he was being a jerk!"

"Oh," Victor nodded. He relaxed into his chair once more while Grace continued to feed Cece, Boreas, and the new Froakie. "Carry on, then."

"I _will_ squeeze it out of you, Serena," Siebold said, eyes narrowed. "Or perhaps I shall ask Alexa to investigate, instead."

"Good luck with that," she whispered back, "because he doesn't—doesn't exist."

"We shall see," he said, but only to sound ominous. Serena realized that he and Looker were similar that way—that oddly endearing flair for the dramatic. Siebold rose to his feet. "I must be off. After all, I have real work to attend to."

"I have real work now, too," Serena protested.

"Of course," Siebold's wore that patronizing smile only a sort-of brother could give. "Send my regards to your boyfriend."

"Siebold!"

"Heh heh."

* * *

><p>Back! So, obviously, the adoptive brother was Siebold. Which was why Malva said 'family matters' in Ch 2. I also ship SereneWatersShipping (I think I ship Serena with just about every guy except Calem, Trevor, and Tierno), and I love Siebold, so I had to give him some significance in her life. Doing this also helped me figure out what her dad's been up to and what he's such a workaholic about!<p>

**Farla**, I know, right? And I get what you're saying about the capitalization thing. Totally logical. I just like typing the words this way, and won't be persuaded otherwise. Thanks for giving your input, though!

Everyone, thanks for the...um...views? And that one favorite/alert, **PetShopGirl**. I know this ship ain't popular and it's usually LookerBureauShipping. Thanks for checking it out nonetheless. Hahaha!

But really, feel free to tell me what you think. Especially if you're open to the pairing! Saying it's creepy will make me sad, but that is something I'll have to live with. (sigh) Haha! Ok Looker time


	10. LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY Entry 5

**Cannot use strikethroughs on this site**. **Strikethroughs/Looker crossing out words will be underlined and placed in a parenthesis. -_-**

* * *

><p><strong>LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY<strong>

The XXth day of the XXth month

_Partner,_

_Was I too harsh on Serena?_

_It has been two weeks since her intrusion and departure, and she has contacted me only once to inform me that she is 'busy with League work.' It is not untrue—I have seen news regarding several contenders who have challenged the League. Each time a trainer is scheduled to appear before the League, all its members must attend in the case that the challenger is able to get past one member. I have read that this is not a regular occurrence. I have also realized that she and Cece have never been away from the office for more than three days._

_She appeared remorseful when she left. Did I tell you why she left so suddenly that day? It was because the eggs her Froakie had lain with her Seismitoad had begun to hatch in her home at Vaniville, and she rushed home to care for them with her family._

_She was restless that morning. Perhaps, knowing she was a rookie detective and a trainer more familiar with battle than subterfuge, the duty fell on me to ensure that she would not have had access to our photo._

_The question is if I was correct to be angered by her discovery of it. She is not a regular trainer. We have met her kind—determined, amiable, and powerful—in Sinnoh and Unova, and we know that they, too, became Champions in their own right. You had taken to them just as well, so I have no doubt that you would have loved Serena and she would have loved you, my friend. After all, she loves Frog Pokemon._

_And the way she can ramble on and on! You would have been thick as thieves, I imagine. Perhaps you could have stopped her intrusion with naturally-flowing conversation the way I could not._

Was _it an intrusion? I understand that she knew little of me when I knew much about her, and that such a discrepancy may have bred her desire to know more. _

_Yes, her mistake was searching through my possessions (and more importantly, employing no subterfuge at all while she did so), but mine was calling her partner without meaning _partner_. Serena is not only a woman whose skills I require to complete my mission. Though no one shall ever take your place, she has done earnest work in order to complete our daily cases and to become a better detective. (Also, her company is not unwanted.) I owe it to her and the title of _partner_ to mean it when I call her thus. _

_I suppose I should send her a Holo Caster message._

_No. Maybe not. It would delay further her official business as Champion, something she would not appreciate. I suppose I'll wait until she calls telling me that she will return—then I shall purchase our usual meal to let her know that I truly consider her my partner._

_For now, I must go. A new client, Ms. Rosine, has called the Bureau in hysterics regarding a missing Pokemon, and requests that I travel to her home at once. Her address is located in one of the most expensive lots in Lumiose, so I suppose I should try to dress as Serena insists in order to make Ms. Rosine calm down. Would she not settle down more quickly knowing that a person of authority is there to aid her? But Serena insists otherwise, and in her absence there shall be no harm in putting her techniques to trial. After all, I would not want to (fail in front of) embarrass her should it fail._

_We shall see. I shall write more soon._

_(You are sorely missed.)Your assistance would be a great aid at this time._

_Looker_


	11. Decoy

**_6_** – _Decoy_

The Looker Bureau's entrance was locked when Serena returned two weeks later. The eponymous detective was out on business, she figured, and she thought of calling him, but knew it would be odd to given that a fortnight had passed since her departure. Since then, she'd sent him only one message, saying that she was busy dealing with League sponsors and contenders. His response was a pleasant _It's all right_, as the cases they received were relatively easy to handle.

Even then, Serena had contemplated sending him more. But that would seem a little desperate, and the Champion had decided long ago that she didn't do desperate. Not since begging Lysandre in tears beneath Geosenge.

Still, she meant to apologize properly for the snooping. Keys jingling in her hand, she unlocked the door and entered. Cece switched on the lights as her trainer set down her purse on the long couch where they interviewed clients.

"What case is he on that he's still out after dinner?" she wondered aloud, wandering the office aimlessly until she settled on flipping through the case files on her desk. All solved. Her Meowstic suggested various other things, showing her memories of their previous cases, but it could have been anything. "Maybe someone new asking him to stalk their spouse, and he forgot to log it in. Those cases took us two days each, then."

Cece shrugged and climbed Looker's desk, placed directly across the door at the end of the room. Serena's was to the left closer to the entrance, which made her feel like the assistant he'd probably intended her to be, but she didn't mind. She and Cece usually sat around on the sofa on the few free days they'd experienced, much to Looker's consternation.

"Cece, what are you doing?" she asked, getting up in order to stop her, but the Psychic-type expertly drew open one of the desk's side-drawers. Looking smug, she whipped out two identical journals labelled _LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY_.

Serena blinked, taking both into each hand. What was this supposed to mean? Or as Looker would have thought—what was the purpose of two journals?

A spare? Cece thought to her.

"No," Serena shook her head. "I _can _see him going through the tedious process of rewriting everything, but why make copies of something you want to keep a secret? Unless..." she met her Meowstic's suspicious gaze. "Unless they weren't meant to keep the same secret. That's it!"

Cece lifted a brow ridge at her. Though intelligent, she still took cues from her trainer.

"_Substitute. Double Team_. Those moves create decoys. The diary I've been reading is a decoy!" Serena gasped triumphantly until she paled, aghast. "He knew... Looker _knew_ I was going through his things. Or at least his diary... I _am _a horrible detective!"

The Meowstic had already know where her trainer's talents lay, of course, but it hadn't stopped Serena before. To calm her, Cece reached over and tapped both journals with a sly smile.

Serena bit her lip, eyeing the journals intently, but exhaled loudly in the end. She circled Looker's desk and, returning both diaries inside, slammed the drawer shut. "No," she swore, both to Cece and herself. "I want to _so bad_, Cece, but I can't. That's what got me in trouble to start with. I shouldn't be poking around other people's things."

Cece shot her a look.

"Fine," she sighed. The Meowstic knew her too well. "I shouldn't be poking around _Looker's_ things. He's my...my partner. Or he was. Depends if we get past..."

The Meowstic would have responded with another vague expression only Serena could read if a bout of girlish giggling hadn't just erupted from outside the Bureau.

"Ah," said a familiar voice outside, similarly laughing, "The door is already..."

Trainer and Pokemon exchanged curious glances, then watched as the door swung open. It was Looker with a woman giddily trailing after him—but what shocked them the most was that the trench coat and the full suit were nowhere to be seen. He wore the new clothes Serena had chosen for him—a jacket, a simple shirt underneath, and jeans with shoes to match. And he was smiling. No furrowed brow, no serious clenched jaw—just really smiling. At a random lady. He looked so suave and debonair that for a second, Serena thought _he _was a decoy, himself.

_Heart that embraces loneliness _my ass. _This definitely answers why he was out past dinner when I saw no case files._

"Serena," he said, clearly shocked, mirth faltering. "You did not tell me you were returning today."

"...Yeah, I didn't want you to get food or anything, since my team and I ate on the road," she said, with the perfect smile the League's camera guy Phil had taught her himself. Looker always bought food in order to get her to work on the cases at once when he knew she was on her way.

Looker nodded politely. "How are the little Froakie?"

"Oh! All healthy newborns, and mostly girls." Her cheeks were starting to hurt, but she'd been training for this since the day of Team Flare's defeat. "Baltic couldn't be happier."

The woman next to Looker had been eyeing Serena closely since their arrival, but only then did she clear her throat. The detective appeared to remember her and apologized. "Serena, this is Ms. Rosine. Our new client. Ms. Rosine, this is—"

"The Champion!" exclaimed the woman, red hair all perfectly curled with a pretty dress to match. "I knew I recognized your face! Detective Looker, you should have mentioned that she was part of your Bureau! Why, I would have come to you sooner!"

Rosine walked over to do _la bise _with her and kiss her cheek, but Serena extended a professional hand to her instead. She was a client, after all. With an accommodating smile in response to the woman's surprise, she asked, feigning confusion, "Why didn't you, Ms. Rosine? Come to us, I mean."

"Oh! I saw the Bureau's contact details on a flyer and called the detective at once! But for your services, I insisted that I treat him for dinner, first. If I'd known you were a detective too, I would have invited you!" she answered excitedly, then spotted Cece. "And you must be the Champion's winning Meowstic! You're groomed as perfectly as they show you on the magazines."

"Meowstic," was Cece's wooden reply.

"Ms. Rosine's Furfrou has been missing for days," Looker explained sheepishly. "I travelled to her apartment to search for any clues that might have been left behind, but I found nothing! I planned to retrace the Furfrou's steps when I realized—I'd left my journal at the Bureau! I can't take notes without it, you know, Serena."

She did know that. Yet—

"And that was when I decided I must repay him with dinner, first! Such a charming detective," Rosine beamed sweetly at the man.

Had either human possessed Cece's power, they would have known that Serena wanted to slap them both at the moment. How could they have gone to dinner despite the missing Furfrou? Hadn't they heard of all those criminal organizations scattered across regions just raring to steal Pokemon? Granted, Furfrou were a dime a dozen this side of Lumiose, and Rosine certainly looked like she came from that side—but still!

Reigning in her scalding opinion, she responded, "I see. And you think the Furfrou is only missing, Ms. Rosine? Have you considered that it could have been stolen?"

"_No_!" Rosine gasped, horrified. Serena would have thought she was faking if tears didn't actually start leaking from the woman's doe eyes.

"Now, now, it's...only a possibility," Looker said, trying to calm the woman down. The nervous look he gave her told Serena he'd already proposed the idea earlier that evening. "Rest assured, Ms. Rosine. Serena and I will find Poochy at once."

"_Poochy_," Serena muttered darkly, before her polite expression returned. "He's right, Ms. Rosine. We'll find him. I just need a minute to change..."

"Yes, and you can tell me Poochy's daily routine in the meantime. After that, Serena, Cece and I can start the search properly!"

Calmed by Looker's words, Rosine wiped her eyes. "D-Don't you think I should join you?" she asked.

"No," Serena answered at once. "You should stay home and rest, Ms. Rosine. I can see you've been very worried about your Pokemon. Give Looker the information and leave it to us to find her."

"Him," she corrected.

"Right."

* * *

><p>When Serena descended the building, she felt much better. The Champion would never admit it to anyone outside her team—not even to Shauna—but she'd felt almost shabby next to Rosine. Serena's photoshoots took forever to prepare for—not that she wasn't pretty. She was, and she knew it. It was just that Rosine was beautiful.<p>

But it wasn't that. Diantha was the most beautiful woman she knew and Serena had never thought any less of herself beside the actress. It was that weird feeling at the pit of her stomach right when she saw Rosine enter the Bureau with Looker. She had just felt so _negative_. Maybe the woman had been a member of Team Flare, and she had subconsciously felt it...

Nah. She wasn't some Psychic-type who could feel these things. And even Cece was wrong about some people sometimes.

"Hello," Looker greeted her when she entered the office. He was back in his regular suit and trench coat.

"Hi," she responded, lips pursed unsurely, calmer now that Rosine had gone. "What happened to the clothes you were wearing earlier? You looked amazing in them. I mean," she added quickly, wearing a good-natured grin, "I did pick them out."

"I tried them, as I promised you I would," he said in a matter-of-factly way. "But...I feel uncomfortable in them."

"You shouldn't be," she replied. "Like I said, I picked them out, and you look great in them."

It was obvious that Looker was trying not to smile vainly. "Do you think so, Serena?"

Serena didn't like to repeat herself, but it was such an amusing sight that she let it go. "_Yes_."

The detective's grin widened as he pulled at his trench coat so that it was snug on him. It took a few seconds before he snapped himself out of it. "Anyway, regarding Ms. Rosine: I believe what was most effective tonight in gleaning information was my manner of speech. I did what you told me—_smile. Laugh. Make jokes_. Wasn't it?"

Serena nodded slowly, as though she couldn't believe that he'd listened to her either. Her ears chose to filter away their newest client's name. "Yeah. Look at you! I'm proud, Looker."

He was all smiles tonight as he accepted her compliment wordlessly. Serena swallowed twice, nodding several times, before trying to speak again. She had practiced this to no end on Flamiche on the way here... Through winds that had ruined her hair and buffeted her she'd been able to say it over and over. Why was it a struggle to open her mouth now?

"Wait," she said, even if there had been nothing but silence, and Looker hadn't moved. "Before we start looking—I just want to...apologize for two weeks ago. What I did was...intrusive. And wrong. And since I forced that information out of you, totally against _my _lesson to you—I should tell you about someone I lost, too."

"No."

"...No?"

"That is not how a partnership works," Looker declared. "You owe me nothing, Serena."

"But—"

"Serena, please. When it happens," he insisted. "Just as I could not force my detective skills on you, you must allow me to learn on my own—and that includes learning more about you through _naturally-flowing conversation_."

Serena almost did, but she didn't gape at him. She wanted to. He was actually taking her advice! And calling her detective skills sucky, sure, but— "Hey!"

Looker's grin was both mischievous and helpless.

She was too relieved to actually sound angry. Not that she wouldn't have been fine talking about it, obviously—it was just that she was...afraid of his judgment. Right.

"But...all right. I was going to give you this after I told you, but here." Serena picked up her purse on the couch and rifled through its contents as she spoke, "You can keep it in your room. I...I have to admit that I've been snooping around, but I _promise _I won't do it anymore. I'm sorry, Looker."

"I know."

Serena glanced up. "You do?"

"You don't leave things as you found them," he shrugged, announcing, "I can tell when something of mine is even just the slightest millimeter out of place. It is a vital detective skill you must learn."

"Wow. Yeah, I want to," Serena said, genuinely, not for the first time, but it was still rare given his usual theatrics about detective work. Finally, she pulled out a small frame, a pond with surrounding reeds carved intricately into the wood and varnished to last. She'd picked it up in Laverre a few days ago on her way to Lumiose, having flown from the Pokeball factory—purchasing them there was cheaper than in the Marts, and she still saved when she could—for balls for the new baby Froakie when the time came.

"It's for your photo. I know I said I wouldn't intrude again—but I just think it shouldn't be cooped up in your trench coat. Precious things like that should be kept safe."

Looker watched her for a moment, almost as if he didn't recognize her, before he accepted it with a smile and lifted the photograph from his coat.

"A partner should never go elsewhere without the other," said the detective, fingers grazing the picture. "But neither should partners keep secrets from one another. _Vital secrets_," he added before she could ask for his name. When Serena laughed in embarrassment, he chuckled and carefully slipped the photo into the frame—a perfect fit, though Serena had already known that. Cece had seen the dimensions and recalled them perfectly for her. It soon found a home on the side of his desk.

The two admired it for a moment, both wondering what it would have been like if the Croagunk were present to work with the Champion and her Pokemon. Only when Cece sniffed loudly did Looker glance at Serena.

"Thank you, partner. It is...good to have you back."

"It's good to be back—partner." Serena accepted the title with honor as she hadn't before. "Now let's go find Poochy."

* * *

><p>Yay! I don't know if it seems like Looker got past having to reveal Croagunk pretty fast, but he did tell Emma in-game about it, so I'm guessing he's pretty open when he trusts the person. A lot more open than this fic's Serena is, definitely. You'll see, hehe. And Looker here is a little more competent, a little more like his cartoon counterpart, than his in-game self. Not that he isn't in-game, but it's only hinted at there I think, for the sake of humor.<p>

**Silkmouse**, I totally get it! I'm actually into kingsrockshipping, but after playing the Looker post-game content I suddenly had this craving for detectiveduoshipping. Most Looker romances are I think with Emma or Professor Juniper, so I had to make something. I'm happy you're considering it :)

**Pet Shop Girl**, thank you for that! And I get it about obscure ships! Sometimes I ship characters based on one or just a few scenes (hence the username), so I never usually get to fill my need for those unsung ships. And yes to the age gap. HAHA. I usually like it when the older guy protects or at least teaches the younger girl, and while I have that in mind for these two, for some reason my headcanon for them is just that though they've both been through harrowing things, Serena's the brute/the tougher one who just knows how to blend in and Looker's the more sensitive one in the relationship. XD

Feel free to tell me what you think, everyone! And in the next chapter: Emma and Mimi! Though I'm not sure when that's coming out, since I'm going to be intensely busy from now on. -_-


	12. LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY Entry 6

**Cannot use strikethroughs on this site**. **Strikethroughs/Looker crossing out words will be underlined and placed in a parenthesis. -_-**

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><p><strong>LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY<strong>

The XXth day of the XXth month

_Partner,_

_Serena has returned. She did so unannounced, so I was unable to return her peace offering with her favorite food (Galettes, it seems), but she did bring a gift for you: a picture frame you would have very much appreciated. She tells me it was crafted in Laverre City, "the city of otherworldly dreams." Did you see her there, I wonder?_

_She has improved greatly. She is no longer painfully obvious when searching my belongings. I have given her leave to do so—it is the best way to practice her espionage, given her curiosity about me, and each time she is successful, I allow her to read my other journal—which includes notes on the case, but now information about me, as well. Nothing that would reveal my true identity, I suppose I might say…but things that a partner might wish to know. _

_My favorite genre of music, for example, or once, when she was able to leave my room almost exactly how I left it after searching for my wallet (hidden in plain sight, though she did not realize this until long after she had torn the place apart), how you and I came to be partners. I know you would approve. She is talented, and I now find that her Unovan familiarity is welcome in a city whose citizens are unfriendly toward strangers. But I suppose most people from this area are this way._

_An exception to this is Rosine (she insists on being addressed without the 'Ms.'). She sometimes drops by the office to present us with food to show her gratitude for finding her Furfrou, which I know pleases Serena greatly. Cece, too. Perhaps the Meowstic takes after her illustrious trainer more than she knows, for meals also appear to be the way to her heart._

_Rosine has sent several clients to our doorstep, which seems to please Serena as well. Unfortunately, while we have begun to receive cases dealing with theft and crime requiring Serena's battling skills, none of them have aided me in my true mission to find Xerosic. _

_I know I must make further efforts to progress in my mission, but helping those in need is not unsatisfying, especially when Serena performs a particularly ridiculous but amusing victory dance. Flamiche often joins her. _

_I am certain you would greatly enjoy performing a victory dance with her. As for me, you know I do not dance very well._

_Forgive me, a client has just arrived and I must go. I shall write more soon._

(You are sorely missed.) Your assistance would be a great aid at this time.

_Looker_


	13. Ready?

**_7_** – _Ready?_

As it turned out—according to Cece, anyway—Poochy had fallen in love with a stray Mightyena and bred with her in one of the alleys not far from Rosine's house. Looker had figured out that Poochy was a loyal dog and would never have gone too far while attempting to keep his family safe, a thought process Serena had lauded. Secretly, she thought it would have been embarrassing if he _hadn't _thought of it, given how he and the dog's owner had spent _so_ much time discussing the facts of the case over dinner. But the Champion considered herself kind, so she held her tongue.

Rosine was gracious about the whole thing. She loved her Furfrou so much that she accepted the mother Mightyena and her litter in her large Lumiosian home, almost the size of Diantha's. She was the daughter of the owner of some trading company, but a businesswoman in her own right. Serena felt a little guilty for disliking her so quickly—Rosine was intelligent, kind, generous, and brought in new clients for them thanks to her strong recommendations.

Another two weeks saw a new case for the Bureau: a number of children had begun to choose to spend their time playing in back alleys for reasons their mothers couldn't decipher, and their task was to figure out where exactly in the city their children were. The client herself was especially unhappy because her son would soon enter an elite school for Ace Trainers and this distraction was unwelcome.

"I don't know what the big deal is about Ace Trainers," Serena huffed, reading Looker's case journal and going through the photos of the client's child. (This was as opposed to his real diary, which she promised she would never read again. No matter how tempting.) She sat on her desk, lowering the journal only to show him her displeased expression. "None of the current League was ever an Ace Trainer. We all learned from experience, not sitting in the classroom."

Looker glanced curiously over at Serena, already shrugging on his coat for the search. "Did you not finish school in Unova prior to migrating to Kalos, Serena?"

"Yes," she sighed. "But that was regular school, not school for competitive battle. Those schools claim to be _elite_, but I'm not seeing any practical results. I mean, they're top-tier trainers, but…still not the best."

"I understand your point," her partner nodded emphatically. "One can be a detective in only five steps, but a true hard-boiled detective requires time on the field!"

Serena stared at him for a beat. Two months ago, she would have rolled her eyes inwardly at all this _hard-boiled_ business, but now she could only laugh. His enthusiasm was uplifting, and she'd been feeling a little lacklustre over the past week. "Exactly!"

Looker smiled. "Well, shall we?"

"All right. Flamiche, I choose you!" Her Braviary preened its feathers as it appeared in the office, then squawked at them in acknowledgment.

"Wait a moment," said Looker, awkwardly raising his hand. "Why must we take Flamiche?"

"Um…because we can't search every alley on South Boulevard on foot?"

The detective looked rather stumped at that. "Ah—well—" he stumbled, then easily saved with, "a detective's work isn't always easy. No stone unturned, Serena! No alley unexplored!"

"No time un-wasted," she reminded him. In truth, Looker would have been proud if he weren't disappointed. Noticing the uncomfortable expression on his face, Serena patted him on the shoulder. Not everyone was into flight by Pokemon, but this was way more convenient. Even though she wasn't sure if flying low over the city was entirely legal. "Trust me. A Braviary can carry a car while flying, and Flamiche has used Sky Drop on a Gyarados."

"_Drop_?"

"Well, not us. I promise. Right, Flamiche?"

The Braviary chirped indignantly at the very thought.

"…Wait!" The detective snapped his fingers desperately. "I have an idea!"

"Looker, I refuse to take Gogoats around the city."

It was his turn to look offended. "Not that, Serena. We follow our client's son on his way out of school! But it may be difficult to do that with the crowds at this hour…"

"And that," the Champion stroked her Braviary's crest, "is why we have Flamiche." More silence. She really didn't know why he was being a drama queen about this and wanted to remind him that fearing flight by Pokemon did not a hard-boiled detective make, but he _had _allowed Cece's pride about finding directions to get to a new restaurant the other day get them a _little _lost. For half an hour. Without a single comment. "All right, all right. Here. Cece?"

Devouring a set of Galettes, the Meowstic appeared from behind the room divider with an inquisitive glare.

"I'm taking Flamiche above the city to see if any South Boulevard alleys are occupied by children—will you follow the client's kid from school with Looker?"

Cece ducked behind the divider once more. When she stepped out, her box of Galettes was empty. She wiped the crumbs from her face and nodded.

"Good." Serena picked up the two-foot Pokemon and handed her to her partner, who gingerly received the Meowstic. "Looker, once you spot the boy, Cece can establish a link with his mind and location. Call me on the Holo Caster if you reach the alley first?"

"I will. Ah, Serena, wait."

On her way out with Flamiche, she glanced back. "Yeah?"

Looker paused, opening his mouth, but said nothing. He seemed confused by the action, himself. "…Good luck."

She grinned. "You too."

"You big bully! You made Lily cry!"

"You killed my Igglybuuuuff!"

Serena exchanged awkward glances with the male Pyroar sitting obediently next to her. Despite having flown past several alleys and taking their time arriving at this one, Serena and Flamiche had found the 'suspicious alley of children' long before Looker and Cece—who were on their way, since the client's son hadn't been spotted leaving school.

Meanwhile, from above, she had spotted a few children—one schoolgirl and a few preschoolers—headed deeper into a dark little crevice between buildings. There was no seeing past the entrance because clotheslines and laundry blocked her view from above, but when she landed and asked the children what exactly they were doing there, _nicely_, they challenged her to a battle instead.

On second thought, Pyroar may have not have been the best choice to ingratiate herself with kids. But Venusaur was much too wide for the alley for Sleep Powder! The Fire-type had a particularly harmless move when controlled, too: Echoed Voice. Not even _Hyper Voice_.

"No, I didn't, I promise," Serena said, crouching down and patting the girl's shoulder. "Pyroar just knocked out your Igglybuff."

It hadn't seemed possible, but the girl wailed even louder. For Pyroar, it was worse than his own attack.

"Really, I promise," she tried harder. "It happens all the time in Pokemon battles. This just happened to be a really, _really _intense one. You and your Igglybuff are so tough that I didn't even know which of us was going to win. But fainting happens to everyone at some point. Especially to this Pyroar. Right?" she nudged the Pokemon.

Lily glanced up, having calmed a little at being praised, and watched the Pyroar expectantly. He whimpered a little, understanding the mood, and gently nudged the child's head. Accepting a Max Revive from his trainer, he set it down beside the girl with his mouth.

Serena smiled. It had taken a lot of hard work for her to acquire the Pokemon's trust, and she hadn't quite had the chance to test it until now. "That'll wake up your Igglybuff in no time, and heal any injuries it might have sustained from our battle. It'll be like brand new."

"R-Really?"

"Hey!" cried a voice—still breaking with puberty. "What's going on here?"

Footsteps padded in from deeper into the dark alley, revealing a boy—Macon, the client's son—a girl with tattered but patched-up clothes, utterly shabby compared to that of her companions, and an angry-looking Espurr. Serena covered her ears and returned the Pyroar to his Pokeball as the small, lavender Pokemon shrieked out in what appeared to be fury at their presence.

Her eyes darted between the Espurr, which looked almost rabid—or was it the dirt that mired its fur?—and the boy. "Macon," she decided, "Your mom is looking for you. Did you skip class today?"

"_She _sent you? Hmph!" He crossed his arms and turned away. "You can tell her I don't want to go to that elite school! I want to play with my friends and learn about Pokemon _here_!"

For a teenager who was into Pokemon battles, she was surprised he didn't recognize her. Then again, she _had_ been platinum blonde in the League's last official photoshoot, and she doubted he paid attention to celebrity gossip enough to know she'd changed her hairstyle. "Listen, that's actually not a bad idea, but you can't just—"

"Serena!"

Looker came running into the alley with Cece, and Serena was impressed that he wasn't panting in exhaustion given that he always seemed to just be sitting in his office when they weren't out on cases or eating. "Pardon, pardon," he said. "It took a while to find you—ah, Macon! There you are!"

The boy huffed. "I said I don't want to go!"

The Espurr shrieked again, and Serena frowned at the girl between it and Macon. Hair tied into two messy braids, she was watching the Champion with the same—what was it? Hostility? Caution?—as the Pokemon. "That Espurr needs help. Is it in pain?"

"I don't think it is pain," said Looker. "But it…appears none too gentle. It may consider this area its territory. Have you never met Pokemon like this, Serena?"

Serena didn't know why she hadn't thought of that one. "…You're right. But I've never seen an Espurr so—_noisily_ protective. Cece was quietly threatening."

"She's only like this with bad people!" yelled Macon.

Finally, ignoring the boy, the shabbily-dressed girl spoke. "Yup, you got that right, old man."

Looker noticed the difference between her and the rest of her friends as well. Serena shrugged when he shot her a questioning glance. "And who are you, young lady?"

"Nobody special," she snapped. "But this little sweetie right here is Mimi. That's what I named her, anyway."

The Espurr—Mimi—growled at Looker. Cece maneuvered out of the detective's hold and glared threateningly at the Pokemon herself.

"Cece, don't," Serena called.

Looker cleared his throat in surprise. Had the Meowstic actually come to his defense? "Then this is your Pokemon? In which case—would you mind returning it to its Pokeball for a bit?"

"What Pokeball?" the girl frowned. "I'm not a Trainer! Mimi's my _friend_. I have no money to buy Pokeballs, so I can't be a trainer, get it? Anyway, Mimi and I don't need a Pokeball to be friends!"

Behind Looker, Serena eyed the girl curiously. Cute with thick, dark hair, but dirty old clothes and shoes with bad soles. Pokeballs were only 200 Pokedollars, but it wasn't unbelievable that she couldn't afford one. While she didn't like the way the girl talked to her partner, Serena was starting to get an inkling about her situation, and it wasn't good. If the Espurr was the same way, then that would explain the attitude.

Looker understood, too, judging by the compassionate furrow of his brow.

"Of course. I…" He nodded, glancing away. "I _get it_. Please forgive my error. My name is Looker. I work as a detective. May I introduce my partner, Serena, and our friend, Cece."

"Hi," Serena smiled. Cece continued to watch the Espurr blankly. The girl eyed the older woman suspiciously, but not unkindly. More like she wasn't used to trusting anyone, hard as she tried to hide it. It was a look the Champion had grown accustomed to seeing since two years ago. The other children and the two teenagers seemed to take cues from her, and looked upon the two adults with the same distrust. "What's your name?"

"It's not important," she muttered.

Looker raised a hand to silence his partner. Serena would have been offended if he hadn't been right. _Looker_? Better at handling a teenage girl than she was? Her pride suffered a blow at that, but if he was on a roll, she wouldn't get in his way.

"If you will permit me to ask, Mimi's friend," said the detective, "we are interested in what you are all doing here."

The girl pursed her lips, deciding whether or not it would be best to talk. Macon said _don't_, but she waved him away and shrugged. "Well, we're all playing, that's all. Everybody here is a friend of mine. What are you asking for? Do you want to join or something?"

"What!?" said Natalie, Lily's sister. "No, no, no-o-o-o! Don't do it! This is our secret base—kids only! _And _that lady made Lily cry!"

Mimi stomped her feet and huffed in agreement. Cece gave an exasperated sigh. Some ways from them, Lily had already forgotten about it and was playing with a newly awoken Igglybuff.

"Oh, put a sock in it!" The shabbily-dressed girl yelled all of a sudden. "Play nice, both of you! How would you like to get left out just 'cause you're old and stuff?"

Serena had never quite been called that, but she guessed there was a first time for everything. Sadly. Looker seemed used to it, sharing a smile of approval with her at the girl's kindness. "You seem to have a good group of friends playing together here. But why did you pick a dark alley like this one to play in? Lumiose City is filled with plazas and open spaces and sunny corners. Flowers can't bloom without sunshine, and neither can young folks, you know. Ask Serena here."

"Why? She's _old_," huffed Macon.

"Only by a few years," Serena said, having trouble putting on the same patient smile as Looker. "Besides, that's debatable. You're only—what—thirteen? Ten years. And you're already taller than me! And yes, sunlight is pretty good for _us_ growing humans. And Pokemon."

The teenage boy blushed at the compliment on his height and fell silent, still trying to glare.

"Mimi and I have always lived in alleys," said the girl, doubtfully. "I don't know much about sunshine." The Espurr murmured in agreement, and Cece glanced back at Looker and Serena. Even she found this odd, having been born in the wild before joining her trainer's team.

"You live in an alley?" asked Looker, trying not to look bewildered. "And…your family? They—"

"They're gone. I'm alone. Well—but Mimi is sort of my family. We stick together."

"Indeed…" the detective nodded, eyes downcast. Serena knew _that _look. He was in deep thought, and the result was really a gamble. Sometimes he had great ideas, and sometimes he had suggestions like _a wardrobe change is in order_. She and Cece watched him carefully until he gasped. "Indeed!"

"Indeed what?" asked Serena.

"I, Looker, have struck upon an idea! A genius idea. And here it is…" He grinned at his partner before turning to the girl. "Friend of Mimi! I invite you to stay at my office, the Looker Bureau. You may work as assistant to myself and Serena, and in exchange, you may live at the office. We live in the building as well, but it would be perfectly easy to furnish you another room to yourself and Mimi!"

Mimi's friend stared at Looker, mouth agape in shock. Cece and Serena were doing the same. This was an entirely different ballpark from a wardrobe change.

"Uh, Looker… Can I talk to you for a second?"

Looker seemed thrown off by Serena's interruption, but nodded. Cece accompanied them as her trainer dragged him aside, smiling at the shocked children before facing Looker incredulously. "What are you doing? You can't just _adopt_ a girl from the street!"

"I am not adopting her," he frowned.

"My mistake," she snapped. "_Picking her up off the street_. I know what you're thinking, and I'm all about flaunting the law when I can" –he quirked a brow at her for this, but said nothing– "to help someone, but this is something that's going to genuinely affect a life or two. Do you understand? My dad didn't agree to take in Siebold until he knew my mom was ready for it."

Looker appeared perplexed now. "…And are…you…ready for this, Serena?"

Nobody noticed Cece's eyes widen at that. Serena, confused, had to think about the question long and hard before she gasped. "That's not what I meant! Do we _look_ like we're married?"

"Then what did you mean? You must admit your flow of thought is..." he gestured at her general direction again, "…very baffling."

"Whatever," she grumbled, face suddenly feeling hot. "What I mean is that if you're going to take this girl in, you'd better be ready to treat her the way no one obviously has since she lost her family."

Suddenly, her partner looked guilty, eyes darting away—but only for a moment. She didn't know what was going on in that head of his, but when he met her gaze again, he was determined. She knew_ that _look, too, and that he wouldn't be persuaded otherwise. "I am. And will you help me, partner?"

Putting her on the spot. Great. "This is probably some kind of crime... The League publicists are going to kill me if I'm named some kind of accomplice..." she murmured to herself, then lifted her eyes to him—a glare matching his hopeful gaze. To her disappointment, the latter was starting to overcome the former. When had that begun to happen? "But since I don't think detective skills include knowing how to raise a teenage girl... _Fine_."

"Wonderful!" he smiled, squeezing her by the shoulders. He wasn't usually the grabby type. Serena froze and stayed that way as he took her by the wrist and dragged her back to the children.

The detective, meanwhile, chose not to be distracted by their conversation and addressed the children again. "Hello again. Back to the subject of my—_our_—proposal…it is not to imply that anything's wrong with a free life in the alleys, but…to have a home to shelter you from the cold and the rain… There is joy in having work to do each day and your efforts seen and appreciated. As for you," he told Macon and the other children, "you are welcome to visit the Bureau at any time _after _school." Then he smiled, taking a deep breath. "The idea is genius, even for me! And Mimi," he turned to the Espurr, "are you on board, too? It wouldn't be the same without you."

Mimi's friend gave the Espurr and encouraging glance, but all the Pokemon did was step back as though cornered. And then she ran off.

"Wait!" Serena called, ready to tell Cece to stop the Espurr in her tracks, but that would only upset her further. She turned back to Looker and the children. "Why did she run away? Espurr are intelligent. She would understand Looker's offer."

"I know where she went, but...Mimi gets scared pretty easy," her friend murmured. "Afraid of humans, I guess. Especially grown-ups." She sighed, then glanced between them and at her shoes as she spoke next. "Hey…um, Mr. Looker-guy, and…Ms. Serena… For a moment there, I was kinda happy that you invited me to stay with you… You're pretty cool. But—I can't. Mimi likes it here. I can't leave Mimi behind. We stick together."

Serena remembered Looker's words about being a detective at that—and his Croagunk. The girl's voice had wavered as she spoke, though she stood tall, and the Champion was never more adamant about a plan formulated by the great detective Looker than at that moment when she knew the girl needed this.

"Hold on—"

"Wait—"

Both Looker and Serena stopped to glance at one another. "Go ahead. No, you—"

"Okay," the detective accepted. "Just as Mimi was conditioned to fear adult humans, she can still be taught that not all of us mean her harm."

"He's right," said his partner. "If we can convince Mimi that we're not like the other adults she's met, and she agrees to join you, will you come live with us at the Bureau?"

"Definitely," the girl nodded hopefully.

"That's it, then. Flamiche!" Serena tossed his Pokeball in the air and caught it in her purse again once he was free, inspecting the dark alley and its curious children. "But first we'll need a location. Mimi's friend, can you think about where you said she went for me so that Cece can read your mind and know where to go?"

She looked surprised at the request, but nodded. That done, Serena climbed atop her Braviary's back with her Meowstic in her lap. "Flamiche—"

"Serena, wait!" Looker took hold of her wrist before she could give the order to take off. "I will join you."

The woman blinked. Did he not understand what she was about to do? Leaning closer so that the others wouldn't hear, she whispered, "I thought you didn't like flying?"

He looked like he very much agreed with her statement, but once again—that look of determination. "If Mimi and her friend stick together," he replied, "what more must partners do? And Mimi would live with all of us, would she not? I can't send you alone, Serena. No hard-boiled detective would."

Actually, thought his partner, all of this had very little to do with detective skills. But that didn't make the warmth in her chest or the grin on her face lessen at all—she was proud, and more impressed than she'd been in a long time. "I understand, Looker. Only one thing left to ask," she said as she offered him her hand. "Do you trust me?"

Looker was proud of himself, too, but no less afraid. He forced his hand not to shake—and it must have worked, given that Serena made no attempt to tease—as he accepted hers and climbed the Braviary behind her. "Yes."

"Okay," Serena said carefully, glancing back to make sure he hadn't leapt off in the opposite direction yet. "Then hold on!"

Looker wound his arms tightly around her waist, head lowered against hers as if that would protect him from the winds high above the city. This wasn't at all what she'd meant, and she was surprised Cece wasn't moving a muscle to get him off at once, but they had a job to do.

That, Serena realized, and she didn't really mind it as much as she thought she would.

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><p><strong>LOOKER'S MOST SECRET DIARY<strong>

Th_—__—_th day of _—__—__—_onth

(The few words written on this page are messy and can barely be made out.)

_Partner,_

_It'—__—__ very difficult to—__—__ while—_

(A few more scribbles appear to be an attempt to write, and the rest of the page is empty.)

* * *

><p>Finally, Emma! Well, almost. Obviously they don't know that, yet. Sorry I've been gone for so long! School has been a killer. I used a lot of the in-game text here, but I couldn't really help it since this is Emma's "recruitment" scene. I also included the Looker's Diary bit here since it's so short, which is what happens when you try to write in the middle of flying.<p>

**Silkmouse**, I already PM'ed you this, but to anyone else who's been wondering, _kingsrockshipping_ means the Lysandre/Serena pairing! The Looker/Serena pairing is called _detectiveduoshipping_, apparently. Again, really happy that you like the fic's take on Serena! I really like to see her as the physically tougher one of the pair, though of course Looker isn't too far behind. She's just roughed it more times than he's had to despite his being a global agent and everything. XD

**Isis the Sphinx**, Hi and thank you for that! I was unsure of how to proceed with Looker since he sort of has a set personality (I got especially confused with his language proficiency change across regions) as opposed to Serena, an MC. Hope you'll enjoy this and future chapters!

Tell me what you think, everyone!

Next chapter: How do Serena and Looker convince Mimi to come along?


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